Vehicle wheel



March 10, 1925.

1,529,016 J. DUDLEY VEHICLE WHEEL Filed April 28 1923 {Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

J81: PwlLa BY .7 ATTORNEK,

J. DUDLEY VEHICLE WHEEL Filed April 28 March 10 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. v J01: Purl? m N M T H v Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

JOB DUDLEY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

"PATENT; OFFICE.

V HICLE WHEEL.

Application filed April 28, 1923. Serial No. 635,219.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OB DUDLEY, a former subject of the King of England, who have declared my intention ofbecoming a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in

the county of Wayne and State of Michigan,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Vehicle Wheel, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in vehicle wheels and has for its object the provision of a. vehicle wheel having the spokes thereof formed from one continuous strip of material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a vehicle wheel having the spokes formed from one continuous strip of material and connected together.

Another object of the invention is the pro-- vision of a vehicle wheel having metal spokes which are connected together by forming the same with a continuous strip of metal and having the connecting portion extend-- ing between the spokes serving as a rest for the felly of the wheel. Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a vehical wheel adapted for the reception of a tire retainer and so constructed as to permit the slipping of the tire retainer onto the felly from one side and provided with means limiting the amount of thrustof the tire retainer on the felly and with means for preventing the undue removal of the tire retainer from the felly.

Another object of the invention is the provisionof a vehicle wheel having the spokes thereof made from a single strip of material and so arranged as to be connected at their outer ends and converging at their inner ends so as to approach each other closely, to provide at their inner ends an opening for the reception of the axle of the vehicle.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. v

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangementsof parts hereinafter described and claimed. j

The invention will be bestunderstoo'd from a reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part ofthis specification and inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the blank used in forming the wheel, partly swaged to form, l

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the blank used in the invention partly swaged. to form,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on substantially line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on substantially line 55 of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 6is a fragmentary perspective view (of the felly used with the invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional viewillustrating the relation of the plate. and the spoke in the invention.

The invention in its preferred form is made from a. blank of metal having the flat portions 9 which connect the portions 10 which are swaged to any desirable form. In the form shown in the drawings I have shown the spokes formed substantially cylindrical but the particular form of the spokes is a matter of choice with the builder.

As shown the portions 10 are formed trough shaped with side walls which terminate at the end adjacent the portions 9 in a gradual slope-11 and at the ends adjacent the connecting portions 13 in an. arcuate form 12. As shown in Fig. 3 the portions 9 are wider than the portions 13, the portions 9 being of the width of the rim or felly of the wheel and the portions 13 being made narrower to allow the spokes to converge at the center of the wheel, the center of the wheel generally being narrower in cross section than the felly of it. When the strip of metal is swaged from a straight blank to the form shown'in Figs. 2 and 3 the portions 1.0 are bent over a form to provide an opening 14. and to present a suitable angle on thesides 14 so that adjacent spokes may lie in the proper position at their inner ends to form a substantiallv uninterrupted opening at the ends through which the axle of the vehicle may project. In this way the adjacent portions 10 are folded upon each other to form the spoke of the wheel. The portions 9 are then bent over a form to connect 7 the adjacent spokes at their outer ends. 109 When the proper number of spokes have been formed and placed in assembled relation in this manner the ends of the strip are then welded or otherwise secured together so that the spokes of. the wheel are then formed from a substantially continuous iece of. material. A felly 15 is formed rom a strip of metaland the ends thereof are welded together or otherwise suitably joined together. At intervals the felly is 110 prpvided.-.with aupocket or recess 16 which is .formed. therein by pressing a shoulder out on the inner surface thereof. Ih ese pockets are deeper at their opener outer end than at their inner or closed e'nd the slope being gradual, as shown in Fig. 4-. Theportions 9.

pressingipockets 16," into the outer surface;

ii with the recesses tormed on thejtelly and the .rimis then slipped onto the telly until 26 the resistance the shoulders in the recesses corresponding to the distance between the recesses .16; ,tThese shoulders are "wedge shaped.thedeeper portion of the same bethereof, the distance between said shoulders ingat theouter side thereof or .atthat end.

which terminates at the edsgeo'f the rim. In

mounting the rim on the telly the shoulders on the riin arebrought into registratiou prevents further movement of therim onto tlie felly .Itwill beinoted that the. telly is vmounted on the spokes in such 'a mannet F that the shoulders on the telly ong'age in a space-between the connecting members 9 ot- Projected between the said space of every;

'7 other spoke. is a bolt 21 which has an enlarged, head 22 which. engages against the side ofthe fellyl The opposite end of the 7 bolt is threadedand isprovidedwitha snit-..

Labia nut to]; drawing the'keeper 23into close. engagement with the flange ot the run. .When the nuts t ghtened on the bolt the.

keeper prevents the removal of the rim from Projected through the openings 14 are bolts 24; which project through plates 25 and 25 o sitioncd at opposite sides of thespokes. Nuts ZGnre-pr V ded to bring said plates into closo engap ementwiththe .spokes and the' plat es: tormed .ai cuate. as at 28. to

preterredform ofstructure Isdo not wish to limit myself: to the precise form: of structure shown but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vehicle wheel comprising a plurality of spokes formedefrom a-continuous strip of -material.--each spoke consisting of a plurality of parts folded upon themselves and connected at the outer ends thereot to the adjacent spokes onthew-heel.

Q. A. vehicle wheel comprising a plurality ot-spokes formed from a stripotmetal haringa-portion projectingtroin each spoke to the ad acent spoke to vForm a circular portion' adapted for attachment to the telly of the wheel.

9 v v r). i\. i-ehicle wheel compi singaplu ality of spokes tormediroina strip of continuous metal; an arcuate'member projectingtrom each spoke adjacent the-outer :end thereof, integral therewithand integral withthe adjacent spoke.

4. A-vehicle wheel comprising aplurality otspokes formed from a single-piece of continuous material: an arcuate member projecting z-tlironi. and v'integ'ral with. each spoke;connecting the a diacent'spoke and integral: therewith and vrim supporting: means mounted ou-said arcuate members.

5. A Vehicle wheelcomprising ibpll'llfillty ofspokes formed from a continuouspieco of material: an integral aitcuate'member proiectingfrom each spoke and connecting the adjacent 1 spoke .4 rim supporting means mounted on saidarcuate members: and a rim on said, rimv supporting; means.

6. A vehicle wheel comprising" a plurality of spokestormcd from a single'piece 0t continuous material: and means mounted on the centrally disposed. ends of said spoke tor iretai iinn'v the same in rigidposition.

7. A..rehicle wheelcomprising a plurality of spokes formed from asingle piece of contorm to the contour of the: spokes at the continuous material and having the centralpoint of engagement, Tn, this way the spokes are secnrelyheld in position at the center of tlie' wheel.

i The plate s areeach providediwith an I, opening in which theibearing for the axle A may be mounted. It s thus seenthatl have prov ded a vehicle wheel in ii 'hich thespokes are all-made I from,onepontn uous p ece of mater al and} in wl iich a gre-at amount f-strength and V i s t. .v ds

combined, ,1 hay e. alsothns prosimpleand efficient means oi mounting the lrim f on the telly ot the Wheel.

Whiklfl tifl lastm e a id de ribe the lavdisposedpends so arranged as to provide forthe radiation of: the. spokes therefrom andto ,prowdefor a suhstantially circular opening, therethrough.

8. A-vehiclewheel comprising a plurality ot. spokes. integral with each other 2 means for binding said-spokes adjacent. their center in rigid position: a telly; and means projecting between" said "felly and said spokes-at intervals for maintaining said spokes in-rigid position.

Intestimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification;

JOB DUDLEY. 

